Bakhaw Drug Sting Yields PHP3M Worth of ‘Crystal Meth’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) scored another high-value drug arrest with the capture of a notorious shabu courier on the morning of October 9 in Barangay Bakhaw, Mandurriao district.

Ronaldo Pedrosa, 34, of Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, was arrested at the residence of his alleged boss, a drug personality currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison.

Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 10 apprehended Pedrosa after he sold a sachet of suspected shabu for PHP12,000 to a police poseur buyer.

Following his arrest, police recovered nine more sachets and four knotted plastic packs of suspected shabu, a caliber .38 revolver loaded with three bullets, and several non-drug items.

Captain Val Cambel, ICPS10 chief, said the seized drugs weighed around 450 grams with a standard drug price of PHP3,060,000.

Cambel stated that infiltrating Pedrosa’s circle was not easy.

He added that it took months for their operative to gain Pedrosa’s trust.

“We did countless surveillance operations and test buys before our operative gained entrance to the house where he was staying,” Cambel said.

Previous attempts by other police units to arrest the suspect had been unsuccessful.

When questioned, Pedrosa admitted to having two prior drug-related arrests.

However, he claimed he could not recall the details of his first arrest.

Regarding his second arrest, Pedrosa said he was charged with “visiting a drug den,” but the case was later dismissed.

Pedrosa is now in custody and will face charges for violating Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).